Multiple plant or shrubbery hole producing apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for producing holes consisting of a transverse beam having spaced toothed-sections therealong and mechanically actuated control means therefor.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Joseph 1". Alberto 5 mm UNITED STATES PATENTS [21] Appl. No. 768,386

- 138,931 1873 Randolph 172/60 [22] Filed Oct. 17, 1968 537,966 1895 Bushong 172/60 [45] Patented Nov. 9, 1971 [73] Assi nee anmarchco 1,424,728 8/1922 Knight et al 172/1 X 5 J, York N Y 2,797.629 7/1957 Kelley 172/488 2,091,427 8/1937 Brodersen 37/2 UX 2,890,806 6/1959 Pilch 7 37/187 X 3,103,753 9/1963 Takacs... 37/187 3,193,951 7/1965 Beeson 37/187 X FOREIGN PATENTS 140,766 6/1921 Great Britain 37/103 1541 MULTIPLE PLANT 5113113313" 1,049,307 1 1/1966 Great Britain 37/103 PRODUCING APPARATUS 9 Claim, 15 paying 88' Primary Examiner-Clyde l. Coughenour Attorney-'Hopgood and Calimafde [52] U.S. Cl. 172/60, 37/103,111/89.172/118 [51 1 Int. Cl A0lb 35/32 ABSTRACT: An apparatus for producing holes consisting ofa [50] Field Search 172/118, 1, transverse beam having spaced toothed-sections therealong and mechanically actuated control means therefor.

PATENTEUN V 9 I97! 3,618,670

SHEET 1 [1F 11 Wm M PATENTEDNUV 919?! 3,618,670

sum 3 0F 4 INVENTOR. J J'EPH E AIBERTO W Arron/v r:

MULTIPLE PLANT R SI'IRUBBERY HOLE PRODUCING APPARATUS This invention relates to an improved ground hole or pitforming apparatus in which shrubs, such as plants, small trees, and other ground coverings, may be positioned quickly and efficiently.

In current mass highway building systems, considerable concern has been given to the beautification and maintenance of the adjacent roadsides. Grass is very difficult to maintain and is expensive to lay over long stretches of land. The presence of naturally occuring weeds detracts from the beauty of the land and ultimately requires costly maintenance in their control or elimination.

As part of the building and maintenance of improved highways, an eflort has been made to plant shrubs and other ground coverings in the adjacent roadsides. The highway authorities, at substantial expense, have engaged skilled organizations and personnel to carry out this work. Such programs may require the planting of literally millions of shrubs in a six-month or one-year perio In the planting of such shrubs, one of the paramount items in terms of economics is the drilling or formation of the hole in which the shrub to be planted. First, the hole must be adequately formed and second, it should be formed quickly.

Present-day apparatus for drilling such holes utilizes a spiral-shaped bit which is rotated to drill a hole into the land. The walls of the resulting hole tend to be compacted at the sides and the earth tends to be impervious to moisture. In such cases, water, filling the hole, may not flow out damaging the root structure. Further, there is no effective buildup of a front wall and this is particularly desirable where there is a land slope to provide for water retention. Generally, it may be said that this conventionally made hole either allows too much water or does not allow enough water to be retained.

A further deficiency of present-day apparatus is that the use of a single hole-drilling bit is uneconomical. In my invention, l have provided a means for substantially increasing hole production as well as increasing the quality of the hole produced.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a high speed, economical, hole-producing system for shrub-planting purposes.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method for producing an improved apparatus for digging a hole which hole has superior water-retaining and distribution properties.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a highspeed, holeproducing system having a heavy mass, but which is also suitably balanced.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a plural bank of hole-forming elements in which all of the elements are operated simultaneously.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a holeforming implement substantially as a spadelike element having spaced toothed-sections and to avoid excessive soil compaction.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will be best understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one form of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the embodiment of its FIG. I prior to the time of insertion into the ground;

FIG. 3 is a similar cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 showing the invention as initially inserted into the ground;

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the manner by which this invention operates;

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view illustrating the invention well into the ground;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention illustrating two rows of digging elements;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the invention in FIG. 6 just prior to the time of operating;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are illustrations of the manner by which the embodiment of FIG. 6 operates;

FIG. 10 is a similar to FIG. 9, but showing the position of the invention after the second hole has been finished;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view illustrating the digging element well into the earth;

FIG. 12 is a top view illustrating the plurality of holes and their formations made by the implement of FIG. 6;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of my preferred embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a side sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 14 illustrating the manner by which the digging occurs.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a boom "of a conventional tractor which may be raised and lowered and moved about. In such tractor, the operator has controls which he can manipulate to position the boom well as means for actuating hydraulic mechanisms to provide rotational movement.

In this invention, a frame is coupled to the boom 11 and the frame is raised and lowered in accordance with the steps performed by the operator. The frame 100 can be lowered and power can be exerted on the frame from the boom to forcibly push the frame into the earth. The frame comprises a shaft, or a beam, or other rigid member and a bracket attached thereto. The bracket is secured to the boom by a rigid connection 124 which may be a bolt or other conventional securing element. The rigid member 110 is positioned transverse to the movement of the tractor.

The operator has control over rotation-imparting means comprising an hydraulic mechanism which includes a cylinder 20 and a rod 21. This hydraulic mechanism is air actuated and includes a first link 23 which is connected to the boom at pivot point 26 and a second link 25 connected to a space-holding bracket 130. The spadelike digging means comprises the aforementioned bracket I30 as well as a spade implement which is rigidly attached at the bracket end in ground-digging position. The spade-holding bracket is pivotally secured to the boom at a pin 124 and link 25 is rigidly connected at an extending section of the bracket at a pin 28. When the cylinder is actuated, rod 21 extends to pivot arm 23 and push link 25, to thereby rotate the entire frame and digging means around pin 124, so as to provide the earth-removing function.

In operation, the boom 11 lowers the spade to the position just above ground illustrated in FIG. 2, and since the boom is heavy, the digging implement enters into the earth. If desired, additional power means may push the spade into a rather shallow position as illustrated in FIG. 3. Referring to FIG. 4, the rod 21, actuated by the operator, causes the spade to rotate to dig the earth out and form the hole 50. Hole 50 has walls I5 and a mound of earth 52 which has just been removed and deposited along the edge of the hole. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the spade 150 has relatively closely spaced toothed-sections 152 which provide a central space 153 therebetween, and the spade movement does not cause the walls of the hole to be extremely compacted.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 through 11, there is shown another embodiment of my invention illustrating two rows of spadelike elements which are mounted on shafts 310 and 320 arranged transverse to the movement of the tractor. A frame 100 secures the digging implements to boom 11. Frame 100 is rotatably coupled to the boom 11 at a pin 302, and cylinder 20 is coupled to the at a connecting point 303, spaced from the connection 302. Conventional linkages 304, 305 couple the ends of the cylinder to the movable position 303, such that when the rod of cylinder 20 is expanded or retracted, the frame 100 is pivoted about connection 302.

The frame 100 comprises a rigid structure of two longitudinal elements, such as shafts 310 and 320 and crossbars 330 rigidly attached thereto. The spade-digging means comprises brackets 311 rigidly coupled to shaft 310, and brackets 321 rigidly coupled to shaft 320. The spadelike digging elements comprises two spaced toothed-sections 36. which allow for the separation of the earth, as had been illustrated in connection with FIG. 5.

In the preferred manner of operating the embodiment of FIG. 6, the holes are dug sequentially and not simultaneously. That is, the boom 11 lowers a first shaft close to the ground somewhat similar to the position in FIG. 7, and the first hole is dug as illustrated in FIG. 8 that is, by extending the rod from the position of FIG. 7 to that shown in FIG. 8. When the spades are in the position shown in FIG. 8, the other set of digging elements on shaft 310 have been inserted into the ground, but only the digging elements attached to the shaft 320 dig hole 50. After that, the digging elements attached to shaft 310 are inserted into the ground as suggested in FIG. 9, and the second hole is completed as illustrated in FIG. 10. In both cases, a small mound of dirt 52 is formed adjacent to the hole. FIG. 12 illustrates the pattern of holes that have been provided by the double acting implement and also suggests the mount of dirt 52 around each one. FIG. 11 illustrates the spade elements 360 in the ground and illustrates the space 51 between the elements for the purpose previously set forth.

Referring now to FIGS. 13 through 15, there is shown another embodiment of this invention comprising a plurality of shafts which extend transverse with respect to the path of movement of the tractor.

The frame 100 is held to the boom with a bracketing structure 401 and coupling means 402, such as a bolt. The frame comprises two parallel beams 410 and a plurality of rigidly connected crossbeams 420. A plurality of collars 430 are rigidly attached to the crossbeams 420 and the shafts 440, 441 are rotatably positioned within these collars.

Attached at spaced-apart intervals along the length of the respective shafts are spadelike digging elements 450 and 451, respectively. The digging elements are essentially the same in configuration as has been set forth previously. Means 500 are provided to rotate shafts 440 and 441 and in the preferred embodiment of this invention, the means allows for simultaneous digging of the two holes as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15. It will be apparent that the structures which have been described in all of the embodiments are quite heavy, and that when digging into the ground, substantial forces are encountered. The tractor may be on an incline or on other irregular earth sections and therefore considerable attention must be given to the distribution of forces. However, when digging the holes as illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the driving means 500 operates the respective shafts 440 and 441 so that they rotate the digging elements 450 and 451 in opposite directions simultaneously.

Various types of drive means, such as electric motors or air motors, may be used to rotate the shafts, but in the preferred embodiment there is provided two extending hydraulic cylinders 510 and 520. These cylinders have rods 511 and 521, respectively, which fasten at their end to yokes 530 which, in the embodiment shown, straddle the crossbeam 420 and are rigidly connected to the shaft. When the rods 511 and 521 are extended, they cause the shafts to rotate and, hence, rotate the digging implements 450, 451.

The respective cylinders are secured at their one respective ends 530 and 531, respectively, to part of the frame and for this purpose an extending ear rigidly secured to the frame provides for pivotal connection. The respective ears 541 are within the outside dimensions defined by the shafts so that the rods 51] and 521 both extend from the inside or within the frame outwardly providing the counterclockwise and clockwise rotation of the implements 450, 451.

It will be understood that while a single shaft has been shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 and double shafts have been shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 13, that plural banks of such shafts may be utilized. In this connection, in those embodiments where the shafts are driven with respect to the frame, means may be provided as suggested in FIG. 13 through 15 to allow adjacent shafts to rotate in respective opposite directions. Therefore, it is contemplated in connection with FIG. 15 that two, four, six, or eight such shafts may be coupled to a frame, all of said shafts being supported by collars 430 or other means to allow rotation. Adjacent shafts may be connected to power means of the cylinder type of suggested in FIG. 13, or other motor means so that the shafts can be either individually powered or coupled together and powered from a central takeofi.

In the embodiment of FIG. 13, air is supplied to the inlet and taken from the exhaust of cylinders 510, 520 by a takeoff valve connected to the tractor. Such takeoff valves and their mounting are conventional and need not be discussed any further. The source of air power for such valve may be taken from the line operating cylinder 20 or from other takeoff points.

While the foregoing description sets forth the principles of the invention in connection with specific apparatus, it will be understood that the spades may be adjustable in all embodiments as to the position of the horizontal bar and are replaceable in the event of breakage or wear. It will be further understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for making holes in soil for planting shrubs therein, in combination with a tractor including a boom and having mechanically actuated movement control means, rigid support means, including a transverse shaft coupled to said movement control means, plurality of rigid, a bracket means coupled to said shaft, a plurality of spaced spadelike digging elements respectively coupled to said bracket means, each of said digging elements comprising two spaced-apart spade sections, means coupled to said movement control means for forcibly acting on said rigid support means to push said digging elements into the soil, and means coupled to said movement control means for rotating said rigid support means to forcibly pivot said digging elements in the soil, whereby said digging elements may be moved to provide a small mound of soil about said hole.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said rigid support means comprises a transverse beam, and a plurality of rigid bracketing means connecting respective spadelike digging elements.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said rigid support means comprises a frame, bracketing means connecting said frame to said boom, said spadelike digging elements being fixedly connected at spaced-apart sections of said frame, a shaft connecting said digging elements to said frame, said means for forcibly means coupled to said boom for pivoting said frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said rigid support means comprises a frame including at least two spaced-apart parallel shafts extending transverse to the direction of movement of said tractor, and means for supporting said shafts to said boom, said digging elements comprising a plurality of spadelike implements coupled at spaced-apart intervals to each of said shafts.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 including means to rotate said frame to position said digging elements in the earth.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, including space-supporting collar means, said shaft being rotatable with respect to said collar means.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said shafts are rotatable with respect to said frame, and means to rotate respective shafts to position said digging elements in the earth.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, in which said rotating means rotates each shaft in opposite directions.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the spadelike digging elements have two spaced-apart digging sections.

Patent No. 3 618 Dated ovember 9, 1971 Inventor(s) Joseph F Alberto It is certified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 50, pivoting said diggi claim 3, after "forcibly" insert ng elements comprising Signed and sealed this 29th day of August 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

ORM PO-IOSO (10-59) USCOMM'DC OO376-F'59 lLS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. Ii. 0"!66'33 

1. An apparatus for making holes in soil for planting shrubs therein, in combination with a tractor including a boom and having mechanically actuated movement control means, rigid support means, including a transverse shaft coupled to said movement control means, plurality of rigid, a bracket means coupled to said shaft, a plurality of spaced spadelike digging elements respectively coupled to said bracket means, each of said digging elements comprising two spaced-apart spade sections, means coupled to said movement control means for forcibly acting on said rigid support means to push said digging elements into the soil, and means coupled to said movement control means for rotating said rigid support means to forcibly pivot said digging elements in the soil, whereby said digging elements may be moved to provide a small mound of soil about said hole.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said rigid support means comprises a transverse beam, and a plurality of rigid bracketing means connecting respective spadelike digging elements.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said rigid support means comprises a frame, bracketing means connecting said frame to said boom, said spadelike digging elements being fixedly connected at spaced-apart sections of said frame, a shaft connecting said digging elements to said frame, said means for forcibly means coupled to said boom for pivoting said frame.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said rigid support means comprises a frAme including at least two spaced-apart parallel shafts extending transverse to the direction of movement of said tractor, and means for supporting said shafts to said boom, said digging elements comprising a plurality of spadelike implements coupled at spaced-apart intervals to each of said shafts.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 including means to rotate said frame to position said digging elements in the earth.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, including space-supporting collar means, said shaft being rotatable with respect to said collar means.
 7. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said shafts are rotatable with respect to said frame, and means to rotate respective shafts to position said digging elements in the earth.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, in which said rotating means rotates each shaft in opposite directions.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the spadelike digging elements have two spaced-apart digging sections. 